Is organic food better for me?

WHAT IS ORGANIC FARMING?

Organic farming refers to a food production system that sustains the health of the land, natural biological systems, biodiversity and people. The food is produced without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or genetically modified seeds and the fertilisers used are plant and manure based without being commercially produced. Animals reared organically are not given prophylactic antibiotics or growth hormones.

IS IT BETTER FOR ME?

When reviewing the available evidence regarding the advantages or disadvantages of consuming organic produce, it quickly becomes clear that definitive conclusions are not easily drawn. The reason for this is that the cultivation system is merely one factor that determines food quality. Differences in location, soil quality, weather, plant varieties and species, harvesting methods, storage and processing of produce all affect the nutritional quality and make up of foods [1].

Similarly, long term studies which aim to determine the effect of organic produce on human health may be conflicted by the fact that consumers of organic produce are more likely to lead active and healthy lifestyles and therefore lead to questions of causality – is it the organic food or the lifestyle that contributed to improved health? [1].

So lets take a closer look at what we do know and what conclusions can be drawn to inform decisions about whether to choose organic over conventional food.  The issues explored in the literature mainly relate to nutritional quality and chemical residue.

NUTRITIONAL QUALITY

In general, there is a trend towards a slightly higher nutritional content in organic produce. This is not a consistent finding and is probably related to the previously mentioned variables that affect nutrient content. Indeed even the same crop type on the same farm may have different nutritional qualities depending on whether the plant is facing east or west, the moisture content in the soil and the distribution of fertilizer over the individual plants [2]. The farming system used plays only a small role in the amount of vitamin and mineral content of foods. So a fresh conventionally produced vegetable may be higher in some nutritional components than an old stale organic vegetable [1].

However food is made up of more than vitamins and minerals and there are some components in our food that appear to be reliably influenced by the farming system. These are the class of anti-oxidant chemicals called phenolic compounds and are found to be consistently higher in organic compared to conventional foods. This may be related to the plants defense mechanisms. In the absence of chemical pesticides and herbicides the plant must work harder to fight pests and disease and in the process produces these compounds beneficial to human health [1].

CHEMICAL RESIDUE

Conventional produce may contain the residue of synthetic pesticides and herbicides and some studies have indicated that these chemicals may play a role in the disruption of hormone balance in humans [3]–[5]. Animal studies also suggest that general immunity and reproductive health are improved when fed an organic diet [6].

But perhaps one of the major issues that arises regarding pesticide use is the combination of pesticides that are used. Safety and risk assessment checks are conducted on isolated compounds but there may be health implications that arise from how these different pesticide compounds interact together once inside the body [7]. It is well accepted that a mixture of chemical compounds can have synergistic toxic effects that is far greater than the effect from sum of the individual compounds [8]. This alone may provide sufficient evidence to adopt the precautionary principle, that is, that the potential risk is greater than the potential gain.

NON NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS

Finally, there are other considerations regarding food choice that is not related to its physical make up. For many, the relationship to our food and the satisfaction that comes from eating produce grown in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner is compelling.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, food should be delicious, and many can attest to the wonderful flavours fresh organic produce can offer [2].

SUMMARY

An individual’s decision to purchase organic food will depend largely on their needs and values. Purchasing decisions are made based on a number of factors including availability, affordability, taste, health status and an individuals relationship with food. The bottom line is that despite any differences, a well-balanced diet can improve health regardless of its organic or conventional origin [6].

 REFERENCES

[1]      E. Johansson, A. Hussain, R. Kuktaite, S. C. Andersson, and M. E. Olsson, “Contribution of organically grown crops to human health.,” Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 3870–93, Apr. 2014.

[2]      D. L. Gibbon, “Nutrient content not a primary issue in choosing to buy organic foods.,” Am. J. Clin. Nutr., vol. 90, no. 6, pp. 1699–700; author reply 1701, Dec. 2009.

[3]      J. A. Newby and V. Howard, “Environmental influences in cancer aetiology,” J. Nutr. Environ. Med., pp. 1–59, 2006.

[4]      W. Mnif, A. I. H. Hassine, A. Bouaziz, A. Bartegi, O. Thomas, and B. Roig, “Effect of endocrine disruptor pesticides: a review.,” Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. 2265–303, Jun. 2011.

[5]      R. McKinlay, J. A. Plant, J. N. B. Bell, and N. Voulvoulis, “Endocrine disrupting pesticides: implications for risk assessment.,” Environ. Int., vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 168–83, Feb. 2008.

[6]      F. Magkos, F. Arvaniti, and A. Zampelas, “Organic food: nutritious food or food for thought? A review of the evidence.,” Int. J. Food Sci. Nutr., vol. 54, no. 5, pp. 357–71, Sep. 2003.

[7]      T. K. Reffstrup, J. C. Larsen, and O. Meyer, “Risk assessment of mixtures of pesticides. Current approaches and future strategies.,” Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol., vol. 56, no. 2, pp. 174–92, Mar. 2010.

[8]      M. Birkhøj, C. Nellemann, K. Jarfelt, H. Jacobsen, H. R. Andersen, M. Dalgaard, and A. M. Vinggaard, “The combined antiandrogenic effects of five commonly used pesticides.,” Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., vol. 201, no. 1, pp. 10–20, Nov. 2004.